BI 103E - General Biology: Survey of Biology

4 Credit(s)

Survey course providing an overview of animal and plant diversity, evolution, and ecology. Activities: field trips, lab, lecture, discussion, and group projects. Includes current issues such as human impacts on the natural world.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1- Apply scientific inquiry to biological sciences.

2- Describe the steps involved in scientific inquiry and distinguish between a hypothesis and a theory.

3- Evaluate and critique scientific information from various sources (journals, magazines, newspapers, television, the internet) for scientific reliability and validity.

4- Engage in logical methodology and communicate via mathematical and graphical models.

5- Describe the phylogenetic relationships among organisms and arrange them on a phylogenetic tree.

6- Describe natural selection and speciation and be able to describe the evolution of a novel trait/species. 

7- Relate the structure of phylogenetic trees to the history of biological evolution.

8- Describe the ecosystematic roles of organisms, populations and communities. 

9- Diagram the flow of energy and matter through ecosystems. 

10- Evaluate selective advantages of various organismal interactions.

11- Relate patterns of population growth to ecosystem dynamics. 

12- Define sustainable resource use and describe the role of humans in ecosystems. 

13- Make accurate measurements and be proficient at using biological tools such as microscopes, pipettes, etc.